CES 2013: Cobra Electronics Keep the Cops at Bay

As Automotive Editor at Crave Online, I've test driven a lot of cars. Test driving those machines means sometimes pushing the vehicle to the edge of its limits. And that also means pushing find, upstanding members of our nation's law enforcement community to its limits of patience. (Bottom line, over the years I've collected enough tickets to wallpaper Westminster Abby.)

At the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, Cobra Electronics is introducing new and improved gear and software to save you from the same fate. They've introduced the new iRadar Atom – the smallest radar detector on the market and a smartphone friendly device tapping into social media.

With a linked app, the Atom detects speed traps with increased range over Cobra's previous models. The app also allows drivers to pinpoint the location of those sneaky officers lying in wait and share their lairs with other drivers via a mapping function. It's set to hit the market this spring for a price tag around $200.

The iRadar S Series, the Atom's bigger and more powerful sister, differs from other dash-mounted models by hiding under a car's hood and behind its grill, while still communicating with the companion app via Bluetooth. The S Series will also arrive this spring at a price tag of $300.

Crave Online plans on testing these models out before they hit the market, so police across the country should beware.